AN INTERNATIONAL row was raging last night over the death of a North-East mountaineer on Everest.

Sir Edmund Hillary - the first man to climb the world's highest peak - criticised those who passed by David Sharp as he lay dying 300 metres below the summit.

His comments were supported by a scientist who has studied oxygen use on Everest and believes Mr Sharp could have been saved had someone shared their oxygen with him.

But this would have meant them having to abandon their own summit bid.

However, the claims were disputed by one of Britain's best-known climbers, Alan Hinkes, from North Yorkshire, who said Sir Edmund had "no more idea now than a layman" about conditions on the mountain.

Sir Edmund said he was shocked to learn that up to 40 climbers put their own attempts to conquer Everest - which has claimed at least 150 lives - before any attempt to save 34-year-old Mr Sharp.

New Zealander Mark Inglis, who last week became the first double amputee to reach the top, revealed how his party saw the Guisborough climber in bad shape as they made their summit bid.

His team members tried to share oxygen with Mr Sharp and radioed for advice. But they were told nothing could be done, and left Mr Sharp under a shelter.

But Sir Edmund, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953 became the first mountaineer to reach the summit, said he would have abandoned the British-led team's attempt to save a life.

Speaking in New Zealand, Sir Edmund said: "I think the whole attitude towards climbing Mount Everest has become rather horrifying. The people just want to get to the top.

"It was wrong if there was a man suffering altitude problems and was huddled under a rock, just to lift your hat, say good morning and pass on by."

About two-and-a-half hours into the final climb from camp four, the Inglis party passed Mr Sharp.

The engineer, who is believed to have died hours later, had climbed the mountain without Sherpas the previous day - May 14.

He had apparently run out of oxygen about 300m below the summit, on his way down.

Dr Phil Ainslie, a scientist at New Zealand's University of Otago, said it may have been possible to revive Mr Sharp with bottled oxygen.

Climbers pay a minimum of £40,000 to climb the peak with a Sherpa guide, and Dr Ainslie believes no one wanted to jeopardise their chance.

But Mr Hinkes, the first Briton to conquer the world's 14 highest peaks, last night said Sir Edmund's comments were unfair.

He said: "Edmund Hillary obviously is a great figure and great man, but it is probably very different in this day.

"You should never make these sweeping judgements when you just don't know what the circumstances were.

"There was probably very little these people could have done for David without putting their own lives at risk."